If you demonstrate excellence in high-level English or mathematics in your Year 12 exams, you can add up to five adjustment factors to your ATAR or Combined Rank (for IBAS) to boost your selection rank.
To be eligible for the Academic Excellence Scheme, you must:
| Subject |
Required band | |
|---|---|---|
| NSW HSC | English Advanced | 5 or 6 |
| English Ext. 1 | E4 | |
| English Ext. 2 | E4 | |
| IB Diploma | English A: Language and Literature (HL) | 5, 6 or 7 |
| English A: Literature (HL) | 5, 6 or 7 |
For Semester 2 2026 entry only, if you achieve a Band 3 or 4 in HSC Mathematics Advanced (or equivalent) and apply for a course that recently had the mathematics prerequisite removed, you will be eligible to receive one adjustment factor.
| Subject | Required band (1 adjustment factor) |
Required band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW HSC | Mathematics Advanced | 3 or 4 | 5 or 6 |
| Mathematics Ext. 1 | E2 or E3 | E4 | |
| Mathematics Ext 2 | E2 or E3 | E4 | |
| IB Diploma | Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations HL | 4 | 5, 6 or 7 |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL | 5 | 6 or 7 | |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | 4 | 5, 6 or 7 |
Place your chosen course as your highest eligible UAC preference. If you are eligible for adjustment factors, these will automatically be added to your ATAR or Combined Rank (for IBAS) for all eligible courses in your preference list.
Explore the courses and adjustment factors available through this scheme. Some courses have additional admission criteria you’ll need to meet, in addition to the course selection rank. These can be found on the course page.
Semester 2
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Design (Interaction Design) | 3 | 5 |
| B Design and B Advanced Studies (Interaction Design) | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts and B Advanced Studies | 3 | 5 |
| B International Studies | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 3‑4/E2‑3 HL 4/SL 5 |
Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6-7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| B Commerce | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Commerce and B Advanced Studies | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Commerce and B Arts | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Commerce and B Science | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 3‑4/E2‑3 HL 4/SL 5 |
Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6-7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| B Economics | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Economics and B Advanced Studies | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Economics and B Arts | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Advanced Computing | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing and B Commerce | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing and B Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing and B Science (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing and B Science (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Aeronautical Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Biomedical Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Civil Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Electrical Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Environmental Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Mechanical Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Mechatronic Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Software Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Commerce | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Project Management | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Biomedical Engineering) and B Science (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Science (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Project Management* | 3 | 5 |
* If you achieve a Band 3-4/E2‑3 or HL 4/SL 5, you will receive one adjustment factor for this course
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Music (Music Education) | 3 | 5 |
| B Music (Performance) | 3 | 5 |
| B Music and B Advanced Studies (Performance) | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 3‑4/E2‑3 HL 4/SL 5 |
Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6-7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| B Animal and Veterinary Bioscience | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Liberal Arts and Sciences | 3 | 5 | |
| B Liberal Arts and Sciences (Advanced) | 3 | 5 | |
| B Mathematical Sciences | 3 | 5 | |
| B Psychology | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| B Science | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Science and B Advanced Studies | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Advanced) | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Science and B Advanced Studies (Advanced) | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Health) | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Science and B Advanced Studies (Health) | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Medical Science) | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Science and B Advanced Studies (Medical Science) | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Science and B Arts | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| B Wildlife Conservation (Taronga) | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Architecture and Environments | 3 | 5 |
| B Design (Interaction Design) | 3 | 5 |
| B Design in Architecture | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B International Studies | 3 | 5 |
| B Languages | 3 | 5 |
| B Politics, Philosophy, and Economics | 3 | 5 |
| B Visual Arts | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6-7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Commerce | 3 | 5 |
| B Commerce and B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B Commerce and B Science | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6-7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Economics | 3 | 5 |
| B Economics and B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Education (Early Childhood) | 3 | 5 |
| B Education (Health and Physical Education) | 3 | 5 |
| B Education (Primary) | 3 | 5 |
| B Education (Secondary) | 3 | 5 |
| B Social Work | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts and B Social Work | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Advanced Computing | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing and B Commerce | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing and B Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing and B Science (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Advanced Computing and B Science (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Aeronautical Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Biomedical Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Civil Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Electrical Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Environmental Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Flexible First Year) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Mechanical Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Mechatronic Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Software Engineering) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Commerce | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Civil Engineering) and B Design in Architecture | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Project Management | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours (Biomedical Engineering) and B Science (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Engineering Honours and B Science (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Project Management | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Applied Science (Exercise and Sport Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Applied Science (Exercise Physiology) | 3 | 5 |
| B Arts and M Nursing | 3 | 5 |
| B Nursing (Advanced Studies) | 3 | 5 |
| B Pharmacy (Honours) and M Pharmacy Practice | 3 | 5 |
| B Pharmacy and Management (Honours) and M Pharmacy Practice | 3 | 5 |
| B Science and M Nursing | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Health) and M Nursing | 3 | 5 |
| B Science and M Nutrition and Dietetics | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Music | 3 | 5 |
| B Music (Composition) | 3 | 5 |
| B Music (Music Education) | 3 | 5 |
| B Music (Performance) | 3 | 5 |
| Course | Band 5 HL 5/SL 6 |
Band 6/E4 HL 6‑7/SL 7 |
|---|---|---|
| B Agricultural Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Agricultural Science Honours | 3 | 5 |
| B Animal and Veterinary Bioscience | 3 | 5 |
| B Liberal Arts and Sciences | 3 | 5 |
| B Liberal Arts and Sciences (Advanced) | 3 | 5 |
| B Mathematical Sciences | 3 | 5 |
| B Psychology | 1 | 2 |
| B Psychology Honours | 1 | 2 |
| B Science | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Advanced) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Health) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science (Medical Science) | 3 | 5 |
| B Science and B Arts | 3 | 5 |
| B Veterinary Biology and D Veterinary Medicine | 1 | 2 |
| B Wildlife Conservation (Taronga) | 3 | 5 |
The following courses are not available for entry through this scheme:
Adjustment factors will automatically be added to your ATAR or combined rank following the release of your results to UAC. For most eligible students, this will mean that the adjustment factors will raise your selection rank by 3 or 5 points for eligible courses from December Round 2.
The Bachelor of Psychology, Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine award fewer points; see the eligible courses list for more information.
Following the release of your results to UAC, any adjustment factors will be automatically added to your ATAR-equivalent rank (called a Combined Rank) to raise your selection rank for eligible courses. For an IBAS/IB Score to Combined Rank conversion table, see UAC.
No. Adjustment factors do not accumulate if you have achieved the required result in more than one subject.
For example, if you were applying for the Bachelor of Science and achieved a Band 5 in Mathematics Advanced (which awards 3 adjustment factors) and a Band 5 in English Advanced (which awards 3 adjustment factors), you would receive 3 adjustment factors total.
As long as you have not undertaken any tertiary study, you can still receive adjustment factors from this scheme for up to one year after you complete Year 12 or the IB Diploma.
For example, if you finish the NSW HSC in 2026, the scheme would apply to the 2027 Semester 1 and 2 intakes.